


Friendship Carries

by BeautifulCreature



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Best Friends, Caretaking, Caring, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, I have literally no idea how to write tags for this story, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Sad, Sad with a Happy Ending, Short One Shot, Sick Character, Sickfic, Steve Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Vulnerability, looking out for each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-12 20:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4493217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautifulCreature/pseuds/BeautifulCreature
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had seemed that Steve no longer needed Bucky's help since the serum. He was wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have loved the relationship between Steve and Bucky for a very long time and wanted to write something on their behalf. I hope it is enjoyed.

The room was almost completely silent except for the faint sound of hoarse coughing from a distance behind the closed door. Bucky Barnes glanced questionably at the sound emitting from inside the room. After a moment of waiting, listening for any of hint of life inside, he knocked quietly on the door. “Steve?” He called, waiting for a response.  
  
No reply had come.  
  
Bucky put his hand on the doorknob, twisting slowly. To his surprise, the door opened; unlocked. He pushed the door open carefully, unaware of what was waiting on the other side.  
  
The room was dimly lit, casting shadows on the carpeted floor from the crack of the window left open. Bucky gazed around, drinking in the small details of the room. A pile of novels sat on the dresser next to the few colored mugs. Whereas on the other side, a stack of various notebooks. As his eyes crossed the room, something bright caught his attention.  
  
A small amount of crumpled tissues were left abandoned on the floor. Jumbled thoughts bounced around the young man’s skull. Had his friend been crying? Was there a possibility that Steve had become depressed? Bucky knew it was acceptable. Even though he had been captured, he had come out alive. If it wasn’t for Steve’s actions, the rate of survival was scarce.  
  
Or maybe—  
  
 _“Huh’ **PSHH!** ”_  
  
The mound of blankets on the bed shook in sync with the harsh noise. After a moment, the action was repeated. _“Huh’ **PSHH!** ” _  
  
A switch flicked inside Bucky’s mind. Maybe Steve was sick. That would explain the tissues and mugs. For a moment it seemed impossible for a super soldier to get weakened by normal human viruses like the common cold or flu. But as the thought crossed his mind, Bucky realized that if the virus had gotten past steel defenses, it had to of been one hell of a strain.  
  
“Steve?” Bucky called again.  
  
The clearing of a throat and snuffled response came, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
The blanket moved. The top of a blonde head of hair poked out, “Yeah. Why?” The question was punctuated with a thick sniff. Bucky could hear the restraint in that one intake, as if Steve had meant to keep it tamed, but it rebelled.  
  
“You’re sick.” He stated, concern slipping into his voice.  
  
“I’m fine,” Steve insisted.  
  
“You don’t sound too good.” Bucky commented as Steve coughed harshly into a fist.  
  
Steve began to open his mouth, but paused, clearing his throat, “I’m only a bit under the weather.”  
  
Bucky raised his eyebrows at the other man, “I don’t believe that,”  
  
“I am…” He trailed off, his breath catching,  _“Huh’ **PSH!** ” _The sneeze caught in his throat, tumbling out in painful force. Steve flushed, “Excuse me,”  
  
Bucky watched, concern etched on his face, “Bless you. Will you ever admit that you need help at times?”  
  
“I don’t—”  
  
“Everyone needs help sometimes, even a super soldier like you.”  
  
“I’ll be fine, Buck,”  
  
“That virus must be pretty tough to get past your steel immune system.” Bucky commented, cracking a smile.  
  
“I never said—”  
  
“Hey, quit it,” He reprimanded, “Do you feel warm?” Bucky noticed that look, “Be honest with me.”  
  
“Not really,” Steve glanced away.  
  
Bucky took a few steps closer, placing the back of his hand against Steve’s forehead. “You don’t feel too warm, though I want to keep an eye on it.”  
  
Steve’s eyes fluttered closed, mouth ajar. He took a deep inhale before curling in on himself to sneeze.  _“Huh’ **PSHH!** ” _He rubbed his nose roughly, sniffling wetly. “Sorry,”  
  
“Bless. Where do you keep your tissues?”  
  
“Thank you… on the dresser,”  
  
“Oh,” Bucky pulled a few out of the half empty box. “Here,” He held them out.  
  
Steve took the tissues, turned away, and blew his nose hard. Coughing, he rubbed at his sore throat.  
  
“You don’t need to turn away, there’s no way you’re going to disgust me.” Bucky assured.  
  
“I don’t want to be rude…”  
  
“Quit it, Steve, would ya?”  
  
“I’m sorry,”  
  
“Steve, I didn’t mean to snap. I want you to understand that your health and well-being matter to me. I told you, I’m with you ‘till the end of the line.” Bucky goes to sit next to Steve on the opposite side of the bed.  
  
“Thank you,” Steve croaks out.  
  
“That’s what friends are for.” Bucky smiles genuinely, “This brings back memories,”  
  
“October, eight years ago, when I g…  _Huh’ **PSH!**... Huh... _ Got the flu and in your words, ‘Almost died’.”  
  
“It’s the truth! And for one, never do that again.” Bucky gives a stern glare.   
  
“I’ll try not to.”  
  
“Good,”


	2. Chapter 2

By the time morning came, the two men were sound asleep. Steve was wrapped in the navy blue blankets, top of his head barely visible. Bucky on the other hand, had his head resting on Steve’s shoulder, breathing deeply. The room was filled with a comfortable silence, only broken by the quiet congested snoring of Steve every few minutes or so.  
  
After some time had passed, Steve had begun to stir. Feeling a weight on his shoulder, he glanced over, studying the brunette. The moment had been ruined when the blonde felt a feathery tickle fill his sinuses. Rubbing at his nose swiftly, he sniffed wetly, attempting to ward off the itch.  
  
Sucking in a deep breath of air, his eyes fluttered closed, mouth ajar. His nostrils flared in anticipation with every hitched breath. Clear liquid trickled down to his top lip, glistening in the daylight.  
  
Steve took one last breath, sneezing quickly; unable to cover.  _“Huh’ **PSHHH!** ” _His body shook with the force.  
  
Bucky awoke with a start, feeling the sudden movement under his once sleeping form. He looked over at Steve, noticing his desperate pre-sneeze exp ****ression. _“Huh’ **PSHH** ’iew!” _The sneeze demanded an amount of control that was not possible. The force was not to be stopped.  
  
“Bless you,” Bucky murmured, voice rough from sleep.  
  
“Tha…  _Huh’ **PSHHH** ’iew!!” _One last sneeze tumbled out, “Thank you,”  
  
“Geez, Steve. You never do anything half way, do you?” Bucky quipped, though a visible glint of concern swam in his eyes.  
  
“It’s not my fault…”  
  
“I know it’s not. Just be careful, I don’t want you to rupture something.”  
  
“I won’t.”  
  
Bucky raised his eyebrows, “At the rate you’re going…”  
  
“Hey!” Steve called, a slight chuckle escaping his lips.  
  
“Calm down, I’m only kidding,”  
  
“… You do realize that you might catch this?” Steve questioned, “I doubt that I’m not contagious.”  
  
“I’m not worrying about it. My focus is on you getting well.” Bucky said.  
  
“And you fell asleep on me, remember?”  
  
Bucky stopped in his tracks, “What are you talking about?”  
  
“When I woke up, you were laying on me.” Steve clarified.  
  
Bucky had a tint of red rise to his face, “Oh…” That was the first time he had been seen speechless.  
  
“It’s alright, Buck,” Steve assured.  
  
Bucky noticed a flush to Steve’s face, though it wasn’t from the current situation. Bucky reached over, placing the back of his hand on Steve’s forehead. He felt warmer than he did the other day. That wasn’t good.  
  
“I think your fever spiked.”  
  
Steve closed his eyes for a few moments. When he re-opened them, a glazed look had taken over his blue eyes.  
  
“Are you alright?” Bucky asked.  
  
“I-I’ll be fine,” The words were rushed, a sound of breathlessness accompanying them.  
  
“Steve?” Bucky’s tone was clipped.  
  
Steve gazed away, his body adapting a motionless sense. He looked as if he was pulled out of reality by some other force. Bucky rested his hand on the other man’s shoulder until his voice made a comeback.  
  
“I thought you were gone…”  
  
“Steve… what’s wrong?”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Steve stared down at the floor, “I didn’t know they were going to take you.”  
  
“Oh, Steve,” Bucky dragged his name out. “I’m here right now, aren’t I?”  
  
“Yes,”  
  
“Then there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Don’t get yourself worked up on something that has no meaning anymore.” Bucky softened his tone.  
  
“I…  _Huh’ **PSH!**  … _I assume you’re right.”  
  
“I’d be talking to a wall if I wasn’t.” Bucky met Steve’s bleary eyes, “Like I told you, I’m always going to be here for you. Don’t question that.”  
  
“Thank you.” 


End file.
